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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · degree · rash · stem · rock · current · straw · bore

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bore — to drill
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. current — happening now
  8. rock — music
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. degree — an amount
  11. current — electric
  12. rash — a series
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bore — to tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com